From left, Mike Moon from the British Embassy in Prague, Miles Fisher from the British Embassy in Vienna, Liz Basing from the British Embassy in Warsaw, Peter Repka from the British Embassy in Bratislava and Jamie Banks from the British Embassy in Budapest are pictured at the event at the Ramada Hotel.

More than 80 small and medium-sized companies from across the West Midlands found out from UK Trade & Investment experts why they should be looking at new markets in Central Europe to beat the economic downturn.

UK Trade & Investment commercial officers from the British Embassies in Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia highlighted key business opportunities in these markets at a free seminar yesterday (Thursday 4 June) at the Ramada Hotel, Sutton Coldfield.

All five countries are potentially lucrative markets for West Midlands exporters.

The UK remains Poland's fourth largest trading partner, with British exports exceeding £2.9bn last year, 24 per cent up on 2007.

British exports to the Czech Republic totalled £1.38bn in 2008, while Hungary is the UK's third largest market in Central and Eastern Europe. 

Miles Fisher, trade and investment officer at the British Embassy in Vienna, said: "The Austrian market is sophisticated and highly developed; manufacturing and manufacturing processes account for 28 per cent of the working population.

"The proximity to major low cost countries has forced Austrian firms to seek out alternative processes and technologies.

"For example, in the past two years, we have worked very successfully with Walsall-based industrial automation solutions provider Lektronix, which has managed to obtain significant business from a number of Austrian companies."  

The event was organised by the Midlands World Trade Forum (MWTF) on behalf of UK Trade & Investment and supported by the Midlands Enterprise Europe Network (EEN).

With more than 700 members, MWTF is the region's largest international business to business forum, helping companies share experiences and access relevant support services. It is supported by UK Trade & Investment and the West Midlands Chambers of Commerce.

Glenis Poletti, executive director of MWTF, said: "We have been delighted by the interest shown in this event.  There are opportunities for UK businesses in so many different sectors and this is reflected in the range of companies who attended.  

"The chance to have one-to-one meetings with the Heads of Trade & Investment and to be able to ask questions about their particular sector has clearly been very popular with the delegates."

For more information about how UK Trade & Investment can help develop your international business, visit the website www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk.